Prior post couplers have been used to couple post ends together to form an elongated, unitary corner post or column used with other corner posts to support a plurality of shelves mounted on elongated brackets or beams connected to and extending horizontally between the corner posts. Typically, the posts are of angled construction defined by flanges at 90° to each other and are provided with keyhole-shaped slots for receiving rivets extending from the elongated shelf beams which are oriented horizontally between the posts. The rivets interlock the beams to the posts to define a ladder-like shelf frame on which shelves are supported. These beams can thus be adjusted vertically, up and down the posts, to provide for a desired vertical spacing between shelf members supported by the beams.
Such couplers are shown, for example, in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/044,689, filed Jan. 27, 2005, published under Publication No. US2006/0163438, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
It will be appreciated that such prior couplers have, and present, upper and lower ends terminating in edges which are relatively flat or straight. Post sections, and particularly ends thereof have relatively flat or straight linear edges, these ends being inserted into the gaps defined by flanges of the couplers for securing the sections end-to-end in abutting relation.
Accordingly, in assembly of a coupler to two post sections, the section ends are inserted into the coupler into gaps formed by respective flanges of the coupler. The flanges define slot-shaped openings into the gaps. If the post section being inserted into the slot, and gap, is not well-aligned with the longitudinal orientation of the coupler which wraps around the post section from the outside thereof, the straight post edge can engage a straight flange edge defining the slot or gap opening, preventing or rendering difficult the telescoping of the coupler onto the post section. The straight edges of the two components engage and obstruct slipping the post ends into the gaps of the coupler. Similar assembly difficulties are encountered if the flanges of the post sections and the flanges of the coupler are not formed with precisely similar included angles therebetween.
Accordingly, it is one objective of the invention to provide a post coupler which facilitates the assembly together of the coupler and a post section where the coupler wraps around the post section from the outside.
A further objective of the invention has been to provide a post coupler facilitating the assembly of two post components thereto and from two respective opposed ends of the coupler, where the coupler wraps around the post components from the outside.
A further objective of the invention has been to provide an easily assembled shelving unit wherein the structure of a post coupler for coupling respective ends of post sections forming a corner post in the shelving unit guides the post section ends into the coupler without undue interference between end edges of the coupler and the post section ends, and where the coupler wraps around the post section from the outside.